Rioting and Looting Does Not Uphold Justice for George Floyd's Death

Ever since the video of Minneapolis police officers arresting and killing George Floyd in public went viral, the United States has turned upside down. It was clear that Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was maliciously pinned to the ground with a knee to his neck that eventually caused his death. Pedestrians nearby witnessed the death of a man who was detained for writing a fraudulent check, which it was not clear at the moment if Floyd actually did commit that crime. The officer, Derek Chauvin, who held his knee pressed down on Floyd’s neck, acted as if nothing happened. Chauvin was just acting like Floyd needed to be handled with the most extreme measures, as Floyd pleaded for his life.

What was the initial action taken by the Minneapolis Police Department? They fired four officers that were there at the scene, three of them held down George Floyd while the fourth controlled the crowd ignoring the arrestee’s cries. People from all over the country wanted justice as this was just one case of countless others and that keep occurring throughout the United States. People demanded justice and wanted the officers arrested and tried for murder, not just simply fired from their jobs. However, the protest for justice has become heavily diluted with pure violence and crimes beyond understanding, and that behavior does not uphold any justice for the death of George Floyd.

The Protesting Began Quick

It spawned almost immediately in every major city across this country. People went out into the streets to protest the murder of George Floyd, which is a very understandable reaction. People in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and many more, marched the streets demanding that justice be upheld for the murder of the 46-year-old man killed in front of people for simply being accused of petty crime.

However, the protesting turned into mayhem and that is not acceptable. A riot is not a protest, it is simply a state of unrest. Riots solve nothing but cause more chaos while hurting more people outside the actual crime itself. Riots can devastate communities and livelihoods. They can hurt or even get more people killed. In this situation, people already have died or gotten severely injured throughout this nation. The protest for justice has become a big pile of crap that has only served for criminally minded people to destroy and steal.

Stop Rioting

People that are infuriated by the death of George Floyd should stop rioting. These people have to organize themselves and keep protesting relentlessly. Many great people have made major changes with peaceful protests. Martin Luther King Jr. accomplished devastating grounds with his Civil Rights Movement. Mahatma Gandhi liberated India from the United Kingdom by not even firing one shot. Gandhi, like MLK, relentlessly protested, and protested until things started changing. They accomplished this by plotting accurately and targeted the correct people to protest against.

Rioting is not targeting anything but just spewing out violence and more hatred. Rioters and looters destroy the business of the regular Joe that is trying to make it in this world. Rioters and looters devastate communities and are not part of the problem at hand. It is not the answer because so many aspects of humanity get displayed in such a disgusting way when a riot occurs. A riot is basically a child throwing a tantrum. Stop it and control yourselves!

Hone your Anger

The anger that is displayed by the protesters can be understood for this incident, George Floyd murdered by police officers that overused their authority. However, that anger is being displayed in the wrong fashion. Target your protest! Go to City Halls, Police Stations, any Capitol building, and display your anger. Do not attack your fellow man! Do not attack the police either. They are not all guilty of this crime. Yes, protests have been done in the past complaining about injustice against Blacks and other minorities, and it seems like nothing has changed. The answer is to just keep at it. It is your right to protest, but rioting is just simply a crime. Stealing and vandalizing will not make any changes! The initial protest itself got the four officers involved in George Floyd’s death arrested. That part was accomplished, so why the looting!

If you think that violence will solve anything, then organize a revolution. That means to target your enemies and not just anyone that crosses your path. Remember, Gandhi had a revolution and conquered without lifting a stick or a gun. All the rioting and looting that occurred in the last couple of days across the United States did not accomplish anything. It just makes the fabric of a working society fall apart. Looting is nothing but a selfish crime and does not uphold any justice for any cause. Rest in peace George Floyd and may the culprits of your death pay the right price.